Hasnat: July Proclamation to end 1972 Constitution and declare Awami League irrelevant

The leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Hasnat Abdullah, has announced that the upcoming July Proclamation will mark the end of the 1972 Constitution and declare the Awami League irrelevant. 

In a press conference held at the movement‍‍`s central office in Banglamotor on Sunday, December 29, Hasnat compared the party to Nazi forces and claimed the constitution would be redefined as “Mujibist.”

According to Hasnat, the draft of the proclamation has already been shared with various political parties, and it will officially be presented on December 31. 

He said that the proclamation had been delayed but would soon be introduced with the aim of bringing about the future vision of Bangladesh.

“This July Uprising declaration should have been made much earlier,” said Hasnat. 

“On December 31, under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, we will present a proclamation that reflects the hope people fought for. They defeated fascism, and now, we will take the next step towards shaping the Bangladesh they envisioned.”

Hasnat emphasized that the declaration would define what kind of country people desire. 

He continued, “It will ensure voting rights and bring forward the demands of the people. Through this, the Awami League will be made irrelevant, and the Mujibist 1972 Constitution will be buried for good.”

In a move that has sparked widespread attention, the National Citizen Committee, made up of supporters of the student movement, shared a post on Facebook on Saturday night, hinting at a gathering on December 31 at the Shaheed Minar. 

Reports suggest that on this day, the July Uprising Proclamation will be officially read out.

The students first protested in July to demand changes to the government job quota system. 

This led to a larger movement under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, culminating in the fall of the Awami League government on August 5. 

Protesters claim that more than a thousand people lost their lives in the violence. 

Since the change in power, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several top ministers, MPs, party leaders, and law enforcement officials are facing trials for murder and genocide.

The Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, has already been banned for being considered a “terrorist organization.”

Earlier this year, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement also called for a Proclamation of the Republic and the annulment of the 1972 Constitution during the campaign for the removal of the President.

Sarjis Alam, Chief Organizer of the National Citizen Committee, said, “The proclamation should have been announced earlier, but we didn’t get the support we needed from various sectors.” 

He added, “The proclamation will be an important document that marks the difference between past and future systems. It will guide those who take charge of the country.”

On Tuesday, December 31, a ceremony will take place at Shaheed Minar to officially recognize the July Uprising. During the event, 158 coordinators, including Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, will take an oath. 

The event is expected to be attended by political parties opposed to fascism.

The July Proclamation will touch on key moments in the nation’s history, including the 1947 independence from British rule, the 1969 uprising, the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 anti-autocratic movement, and the ongoing 2024 uprising. 

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has said that the proclamation will give voice to the people’s demands and reflect their aspirations for the future.

The press conference also saw the participation of Abdul Hannan Masud, the Chief Organizer of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and Jahid Ahsan, a member of the media cell, among others.